Loopholes
by Prince-Frost
Summary: Zero's fate is left in the hands of Kaname—due to the danger of Rido searching fervently for any drop of Kuran's blood he can find—and despite Zero trying to keep his distance from the Pureblood it quickly proves to be impossible when he's forced into sharing an accommodation with him. KxZ.
1. Lease

**Note:** If it's important to know, I'd say this takes place sometime after chapter 30 (since I refer to events that occurred in that chapter and this way I can play around with details.) For obvious reasons, Yuki will stay as a human.

_**Vampire Knight**_ belongs to Matsuri Hino. I own nothing. ):

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><p><strong>{ <span>Chapter 1<span>: **_Lease _**}**

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><p>xxx<p>

Zero stood in a familiar setting, the walls and floors all well-known by his sight, the building practically home to a union he had pledged his life too. Yet comfort was far from what he was experiencing at the moment, the reason most likely being that he was placed in the middle of the courtroom, victim to having his brethren cast judgemental glowers his way.

The hand he rests in his pocket scrunches the offending item it finds in there viciously. It was the note that had brought him here, one measly sentence that was responsible for the situation he was now facing. **_Your presence is required immediately by the President_**, it had said, along with various threats should he failure to comply within a punctual time.

It was confusing more than worrying. To his knowledge, he hadn't screwed up too badly recently. Any missions they sent his way he dealt with—discreetly, quickly and efficiently. Yagari would be proud.

Speaking of his sensei…the only friendly faces here were those of Yagari, the Chairman, and the rare comrade he'd managed to keep after his vampire status had been revealed. Overall, the odds were evidently against him and every second he spent would be another rope around his neck. Better to get this over with quick—whatever _this_ was.

"You wished to see me?"

He nearly winces at the way his voice echo's through the courtroom, dissolving the fabricated peace it once held.

"Yes, Kiryu. Although wished may not be the word I would have used."

It's hard to tell if the President is actually laughing at him or not, his pinched up features too unfamiliar to read, so Zero keeps his silence, knowing it will aggravate his leader more than any retort could. Sure enough, it works.

"Nothing to say? Very well." The President shifts through various papers until he finds the one he wants (documents that probably have countless flaws of every hunter alive sketched onto them, simple words that held the power to decide a person's fate). "Kiryu Zero, you have been brought here on the allegation of not only being in the possession of pure blood, but also by the act of stealing this blood from Kuran Kaname."

"_What_?" Zero yells in surprise. His mind had raced through the various reasons why the President would call on him personally, but _that_ had never occurred to him. Why would it?—No one was meant to _know_ of it.

Cross is watching him with heavy sympathy locked in eyes that are usually sheltered by lenses, but there's no shock evident—no, never shock. The Chairman always seemed to be aware of anything that happened at the Academy before it even occurred. He was an idiot for thinking this would be any different. Deep in his heart, he knows Cross wasn't the person who had ratted him out; which left just one other.

Fighting for the right words, Zero manages, "There must be a mistake. I never stole. He offered—"

He cuts off with a strangled hiss. Not only was it humiliating to admit that he'd needed that bastard's blood to stop him from deteriorating into a Level E, nothing more than a shell wrapped up of gluttonous hunger and bloodlust, but to also admit that he'd drank it with barely a fight…

"I see." The President leans back in satisfaction, looking down at him with repulsion. "So the Pureblood offers you his blood regularly, and you, one who is bound to our laws—laws of a hunter—eagerly accept?"

_It's not like that_, he wants to scream in sickened denial, but shame is vastly overtaking the anger he's suffering and reducing him to a shaking mess of contempt. It's too much to handle, knowing that now the whole Association was aware of the poison that now contaminated his already damned blood. It's a sin he wanted to take to the grave, and now it's a sin that might as well have been carved into his forehead for all to see.

"Your continued silence only further worsens your case, Kiryu." A leer grows on the Presidents face, lips smeared in gloss stretching into a sickly smile. "Or did you get so caught up on the thought of that man's blood that communication has become impossible for you?"

Zero flinches. The rest of the board jolts at the intrusive remark, his sensei even leaping over the wooden barrier that surrounds the stand where the audience are seated and coming to stand by his side in an angry rush, but another voice interjects before any violence can follow.

"I find your needless provocation to be an irritation, esteemed President of the hunters." The words are quietly spoken yet somehow simultaneously stern. "And I believe I asked you to await my arrival before allowing court to begin. Should I take offense at this?"

The figure materialises from the corner of the room, where the shadows have most grown, coating the floor in black. Kaname wastes no time walking to the center as everyone recovers from their shock of seeing a vampire suddenly appear effortlessly at the pinnacle of their headquarters.

Being outside the Academy means Kaname isn't in his usual white and pristine Night Class uniform that Zero's become accustomed to associating with the Pureblood. He still looks every bit like an arrogant, wealthy aristocrat though, with his long expensive trench coat following his gait and black leather dress shoes clicking on the tiles.

Kaname wisely keeps his distance from Zero as he reaches the front of the stand. The murderous intent must really be dripping off him, then, for even a Pureblood to take caution. _Good_. Or it could be because Yagari is seething behind him, glancing between Kaname and the President as if he can't decide which one he wants to shoot first. At this point, Zero isn't entirely sure either.

"No need to fret," The President chirps in happily; a little _too _happily to be anything but false, "we will take care of Kiryu's punishment within our own rules. There's no need for you to be here fo—"

"You are mistaken in my intentions," Kaname interrupts with clear disdain. "I informed the Association of Kiryu's and mine connection for a more respectful purpose."

The term _connection_ makes Zero clench his trousers fabric tightly in his hands, disgust and anger curling and filly his belly. If Kuran's purpose was to destroy Zero's reputation as a hunter, he was doing a spectacular job.

At least it answered how the Association knew of it. So, Kaname had basically backstabbed him after offering him salvation. The deceit shouldn't surprise him, this was a Pureblood vampire he was dealing with, and trust wasn't an emotion that would ever grow between him and any of their vile kind—but _still_.

What was Kuran playing at? How would dragging him through the mud be of any benefit to him?

"What purpose would that be, Representative Kuran?" Cross asks, luckily voicing Zero's thoughts.

Any trace of his guardian—one Zero might even refer to as father in a private setting—is lost beneath the formal regulation of being an Elite Hunter in charge of making the imperative decisions. It's a trait he's always admired in the otherwise airheaded Chairman, but now it causes worry to stir.

"I trust you've all heard the rumours of Kuran Rido, my ancestor said to be mad on his path for power?" Kaname questions. The effect it has on the room is instantaneous, gasps of fear and disbelief echoing around, and Kaname nods like he expected that very reaction. "Good, that will save me the trouble of having to explain. My resolve is simple: to stop my uncle from rising again, in turn destroying any hope we have at gaining peace and at making vampires a race that can rely on reasoning instead of violence."

"What the hell has that got to do with me?!" Zero finally bursts, unable to listen to Kuran's pretty little pacifism speech any longer.

He instantly regrets it as Kaname's attentions rest completely on him, his eyes alight with a conquering blaze, as if Zero's a pawn that's moved exactly how he wanted him to, pushing the game in his favour.

"An excellent question, Kiryu-kun," Kaname says.

Zero frowns. "One you feel like answering anytime soon?"

Kaname's lips twitch in amusement and he turns back to the board. "The only thing keeping my uncle restrained is the lack of Kuran blood he has, halting his ability to regenerate. This blood doesn't necessarily have to come from one belonging to the Kuran line. For example, one who has fed on that blood recently would do the job just as efficiently."

He doesn't need to say anymore. Understanding is present on everyone's faces.

The Chairman adjusts his glasses in what Zero knows is a nervous habit. "Knowing you, Kaname, you've come here with a solution already in mind?"

A solution that came from Kaname didn't sound promising at all and Zero's whole body stiffens in anticipation of what would occur next, surely being misfortune for him.

Kaname spreads his hands, enticing the court to unconsciously lean closer. "Relinquish your ties to Zero and give him over to me for his own protection. He is a vampire, after all, so any complications that may arise can be easily settled by the Vampire Council."

The room shares a joined stab of shock. Zero's heart gives a hopeless thud against his ribcage as his nails scrap painfully against his palms. Last time he checked he was a living being, not a piece of furniture to be handed off to whoever bargained the highest. He had walked into this building with his freedom, would he now be leaving without it?

"Now hang on!" Yagari yells. "How do we know what this vampire claims to do is the truth?!" He addresses the question to the row of Elite Hunters. "_Protection_?! Don't make me laugh. Zero's the perfect scapegoat for him—a tool to bring back this ancestor without having to waste any of his precious pure blood!"

A wave of frenzied whispers starts up at the hunter's bold allegation, and if Zero was the smiling type he'd be beaming at his sensei right now. It's not that he believes that to be Kaname's true intention—far from it, in fact—but he'd take any excuse to stay out of the Pureblood's grasp right now.

"Human paranoia will never cease to amuse me," Kaname calmly says once the clatter dies down, appearing completely unperturbed by the accusation and hostile glares he's recipient to. "Or cease to be so annoying."

"You don't deny it, then?" The President says tightly, and all gazes cut to him in expectation of a vocal match between the two who hold such power of different tips of the scale.

Now that Zero's watching the President closely, he can see the obvious tension in the man's frame and harsh grip he has on the ridiculous fan he insists on carrying everywhere. Clearly the verdict of this session was important to the President, to the point of worrying him. But was he worried _for _Zero? Highly unlikely. There was something else at stake here.

Zero hadn't personally had many encounters with the man, which he was thankful for; while the President held one of the highest ranks in the Association, Zero still felt like he wasn't…part of their side. He held no facts, but as a hunter he relied on his instincts, and those very instincts screamed at him to stay away from the man with beady eyes that slithered down your spine like a snake, who hid the rest of his face behind that wretched fan. He'd never spoke his doubts aloud, to do so would be idiotic and most likely to get him thrown into a cell for a night, but that didn't mean he didn't think them frequently.

Kaname sighs softly, and Zero swears he can feel a hot breath brush his cheek despite the distance. He scratches the offending patch of skin in irritation, ignoring his sensei's look of concern.

"If I truly desired that beast to be woken and freed from his nightmarish cage, would I have really waited this long just for the.." Kaname tilts his head in the direction of Yagari, an almost playful movement if it weren't for the darkness in his gaze, "…how did you put it? Ah yes, the 'perfect scapegoat'. This heinous goal of mine could be accomplished by a simple cut of my wrist; it would only take all but a few drops."

Yagari crosses his arms, brow falling low; the very epitome of unamused. "Nice try. You're a vampire; you've got the time to wait."

"Not to mention a Pureblood one," Zero obligingly adds, resentment clouding his tone (would Purebloods ever leave him alone?) "Out of everyone, you're in possession of the longest life span."

Kaname glares at him, softened only by the disappointment he sees there at Zero speaking against him, which makes Zero glare back tenfold because seriously, _what the fuck_? Did Kaname really believe he would be okay with any of this?

They're both drawn out of their glaring contest by Cross coughing to draw their attention, then raising his hands in a surrendering gesture as their scowls turn on him instead. He somehow appears half sheepish and half determined under their scrutiny. "Kaname, if it's the protection of Zero that you're concerned about I can assure you we'll be able to keep him safe in our headquarters."

"Chairman…no." Kaname shakes his head lightly, his long fringe shadowing the movement before finding purchase on his forehead again. "Cross Kaien, in all my years of knowing you, you've never been the type of person to make promises that you know you cannot keep, so..." he pauses, drawing them all in like moths to a flame as they await his next words, "..why start now?"

The Chairman's eyes cut to the President almost of their own accord before flickering back to the Pureblood, and with that brief gesture Zero can tell Kaname has won over his guardians favour. _Damn!_

Maybe he wasn't the only one who held suspicions about their leader, after all. But that wasn't doing him any favours now!

"I could take him by force."

The declaration is spoken so swiftly and softly, that despite the dangerous undertone they all take an embarrassingly long time to react. When they do, with hunters unsheathing weapons and Yagari pushing Zero behind him, it's all for nothing as Kaname hasn't moved an inch.

In fact, the Purebloods eyes are closed with what could almost be called a peaceful expression, dark lashes motionless on pale skin. It's a bizarre contrast to the atmosphere. Zero knows it's just another way for the vampire to show his superiority to them; practically dangling his life in front of them but still being untouchable.

"Kaname," Cross interjects, trying to be placating but mostly coming across exasperated.

Kaname chuckles as his eyes slide open. "I apologise if my words were inappropriate. Rest assured, I know how fragile the peace is between our kinds and would like to come to some…amiable agreement."

"If _we_ agree to _your_ terms, you mean," Yagari barks, the gun held in his hand now rattling in fury. When Kaname makes no move to counter, he turns to the President. "This is bullshit! He openly threatens us while trying to take one of our best hunters away from us!"

"I will have order while we are in court, Yagari," The President snaps. "If you raise your voice to me one more time I will have you escorted out." Clearing his throat in an obvious attempt to keep calm, he then announces: "For a matter like this, we must go to a vote."

Kaname dips his head slightly, a sign of fleeting agreement. "I trust the Hunters Association will come to the right decision."

Zero wonders if he's the only one who hears the threat poorly hidden there.

The Elites begin to converse amongst themselves, and for the first time Zero actually dislikes the amplified hearing he possesses, allowing him to overhear what other humans cannot; suspicions and offenses not meant for him to catch.

_It would be foolish to keep Kiryu here with a vampire that powerful after him, not to mention Kuran Kaname is also…_ reaches his ears in feared garbles, along with; _the headquarters isn't strong enough to endure an attack of that scale_. Other sentences cut deeper through, harsh opinions that Zero had always speculated about but never heard in certainty—until now. _He's a vampire. Not one of us. If would only make sense for the bloodsuckers to be together. Continues to be a disgrace to his proud heritage. We have more to gain by cutting our ties with him now._

As each tedious, tense minute passes agonisingly slowly, it only becomes more and more clear what the final judgment will be. Zero wills himself to look anywhere but at Kuran, anywhere but where those smug features will sneer at him in their victory. He's not sure of his self-control at the moment, and openly firing right inside the courtroom while he's a defendant has to break at least a hundred of hunter's laws, not to mention any coexisting rules they share with the vampires that would be shattered at endangering one of the their precious Pureblood vampires.

Although, why the hell should_ he_ care? Those very hunters were about to ship him off to god's knows where, essentially a prisoner to one of their longest and oldest enemies. Adrenaline flows through him, itching at his fingers to reach for Bloody Rose and stop this nonsense.

Before Zero gets the chance to do something incredibly rash but extremely satisfying, the thud of the President's hammer slashes through all his thoughts. The sound feels just as deadly as the blast of a gun, yet at least he knows the bullet would only cause him agonising pain for moments. The gavel, however, was capable of dishing out death sentences.

"Kiryu Zero, as voted and ruled by the Association, you will be in the custody of Kuran Kaname, the head of House Kuran until this threat has passed. Court dismissed."

Or worse.

If they think Zero's going to just roll over and accept a vampire deciding his life for him, they really didn't know the hunter at all.

Stepping forward, he drives nonchalance to cover his tone. "Is no one going to ask my opinion on the matter?"

The President almost appears _relieved_ at his defiance. "Speak your piece, Kiryu."

"The issue is my blood, right?" He hesitates and takes a needed gulp of oxygen as he braces himself for the onslaught of emotions his proposal will cause. "Then just bleed me dry, to the point of death—beyond that, if it's necessary."

He pays no attention to the President's shocked inhale, overlooks the Chairman's pleas to reconsider, ignores even Yagari shaking his form and yelling at him to stop being a dumb-ass. Instead, his concentration dwells solely on Kaname, the only one who kept quiet after his reckless outburst. Verbally, that is; the gaze that burns into him seems to say everything and nothing at all.

Then, so minuscule that if he wasn't already watching he'd have missed it, Kaname's mouth parts to shape words that only he would read.

_"Already giving up, Kiryu-kun? Even after you showed me such resolve for Yuki all those nights ago. I never took you for a sentimental liar."_

Gritting his teeth, Zero feels the tip of his fangs piercing the inner of his lips as they stretch, reacting to his anger. He tears his eyes away and says nothing. He's standing by his decision.

It's all to no avail though, as the President states, "Your request has been overruled, Kiryu. Our original agreement stands. _Court dismissed_."

Many of the hunters are quick to shuffle their way out, duties they pushed aside to see such a rare event now at the forefront of their minds, but there's only one stature Zero can see clearly amongst the blurred crowd right now.

Kaname meets his gaze steadily as he raises a hand in a beckoning gesture, and effortlessly vanishes as he exits the room in a shadowy haze. Zero swallows down the anger that quickly rises. What was he, a dog meant to follow orders?

He goes to take a step, but his sensei places a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We'll find a loophole, dumb apprentice. Don't look so glum."

He sighs. "I know." If anyone could, it would be Yagari Toga, the current top ranked vampire hunter.

"Being so close to him gives you a lot of advantages," his sensei continues. "To kill, maim, hell—to even have the chance to wipe that arrogant smirk off his face."

"I know," Zero repeats with a little more vigour. Trust his sensei to be the one to cheer him up with dark guarantees like maiming.

The fingers holding him tighten considerably as Yagari leans in, the smell of ash clinging the air and one ruthless eye glowering down on Zero. "And say if you had to shoot the bastard repeatedly, out of self-defence of course, well…who could blame you?" He leans back, a vicious grin evident as he reaches for a much needed cigarette. "Loopholes."

Then he's walking away, a trail of smoke swirling behind him.

xxx

By the time Zero reaches the outside, halted by his own heavy feet and being blocked from the entrance as the Chairman squeaked various hurried assurances at him, Kaname is nowhere to be seen. Taunting whispers whirl in his mind, alerting him that this would be the perfect chance to run. The only hunters around are those entering and leaving the building, no doubt retrieving and dropping off reports. None of them would be quick enough to stop him.

It's too perfect, which means it's too perfect to be true. No doubt there's someone—vampire or hunter—either out there with him or watching from a heightened advantage, under orders to record his every move.

Even if he did make a break for it, the list of places he could run to were pathetically limited. Going back to the Academy was too predictable; it would be the first place anyone would look for him and Kuran's devoted followers in the Night Class would present him to their leader in a heartbeat. Plus, disobeying the Association would mean he couldn't take any more hunting missions and where did that leave him?

It left him with little. Maybe nothing. The strength that nourished him all these years was his revenge, and with Hio Shizuka already reduced to dust by another, his only objective was putting down each deranged vampire he was assigned to.

He takes the President's note that still resides in his pocket and rips it into several thin shreds methodically as he searches for any more options, but it's no good. He was effectively trapped. Once again a Pureblood had managed to reconstruct his life, except this time it was his own fangs that had caused the damage.

The revealing, unpleasant, prickle that nips at the back of his neck alerts him of Kaname's presence.

"I don't like being spied on, Kuran," he opens with, letting the scraps of paper go and be taken by the wind.

"You can't blame me for being cautious," Kaname says as he glides into place by Zero, unabashed at being caught out. "Earlier you seemed more likely to draw your gun than engage in conversation. I was merely checking that was no longer the case."

"Like that would even be a threat to you."

They're not looking at each other, eyes trained on the city before them, streetlights switching on as evening arises and casting a dim glow over them. People pass by them in an unconscious manner, heading home for the day and Zero's envies them, envies that their most pressing thoughts are of the mundane sort due to their ignorance.

"No, it wouldn't." Kaname's not bragging with his agreement, but simply stating a fact. It still pisses Zero off. "Nevertheless I'd like to avoid a scene, if possible."

A thought that had been lingering at the forefront of his mind for a while now surfaces. Zero studies Kaname from the corner of his eye, suspicion keeping him from regarding the vampire completely. "Why'd you give me your blood if you knew it was a risk with someone like Rido about?"

Kaname doesn't return his gaze, shows no outward response despite the haunted intensity that shows in those amber eyes.

Eventually all he shares is, "Plans change."

It's not an answer at all, but before Zero can take the opportunity to beat more words out of him, a car rolls up and stops right in front of them.

It's a limo, one as black as the night's sky, sleek as the stars that rest there. When no further cars arrive, and Kaname waiting expectantly, Zero dreads the conclusion he's come up with.

"Remind me why we have to share a car," Zero grumbles, staring at the contraption as if it was the incarnate for all evil.

"So you don't give the poor driver a scare when you try to escape by throwing yourself out of it," Kaname helpfully tells him.

"I wouldn't—," he goes to protest before he realises—_yeah,_ he kind of would take that risk. Was he that transparent that Kaname could predict his actions, or was it because that had known each other for years? He shakes that errant thought off uneasily. They didn't _know_ each other. They had just…both been forced into each other's paths for too long. Linked together by the bond of another person.

"Your lack of denial is worrying," Kaname says as he waves Zero into the car, sliding in after. "Perhaps I should invest in child locks."

Zero is going to do himself a favour by trying his best to block out anything the vampire says from now on. Death by headache just didn't sound very appealing. He turns to look at Kaname in disbelief when he sees a familiar suitcase being packed into the boot. "You already retrieved my things?"

Kaname shrugs lightly, murmuring orders to the driver, before he responds, "Of course. I knew you'd be in need of them and didn't want to waste any time after the ruling, hence I had them gathered beforehand."

_Translation: No matter what happened in that courtroom, I was always in control of the outcome and you had no choice in anything._

"Arrogant prick," he mutters harshly.

"I believe the word you're looking for is considerate."

"The word I'm looking for—" he rushes out in a vehement gush, but cuts himself off at the last second. Their banter was close to being childish and he didn't want Kuran to pull any emotions out of him and be witness to them.

The car finally starts, and the rumble of the engine is soothing. He turns back to the window, content to sit there in almost silence as the car swerves onto a main road, but Kaname undoubtedly has other plans. Like always.

"Not the least bit curious to what our destination is?"

_Yes_, he thinks.

"No," he says.

Kaname clearly doesn't believe him, but apart from a dubious eyebrow raise he says nothing, which is fine. In the end, the location really didn't matter as it was the _company_ that was the problem.

It's mercifully quiet for a short while and with the low light autumn brings he can almost trick his eyes into believing he's the only passenger the car holds. Deceiving his nose is a lot more difficult, as a rich musky incense fills his sense, an aroma that definitely doesn't belong to him. There was only one other time he had had caught that scent, one other time when he had been in such close proximity with the Pureblood, and it's a memory he didn't like to muse on. Especially since it was the reason he was in the predicament he now found himself in.

"I wonder, when was the last time you smiled?"

Zero's jaw spasms at the stupid and personal question. _Seriously_? If Pureblood's could be affected by human drugs, Zero would be adamant that Kaname was a user. He keeps his eyes on the blurring scenery, buildings of grey mixing into splashes of green as they leave the city and enter the forest. Wherever they were heading, it must be far from civilisation.

Most people would find fear in that fact, but Zero only feels grim certainty. It meant there would be less people to hear the gunshots.

He figures Kaname has given up on trying to pry a conversation out of him, until he hears a deliberate crinkle, and he looks at the reflection in the window to see what Kaname is up to.

It's the picture of him and Yuki at the Academy, their first day of being prefects, where she had begged him to smile while wearing a ridiculous grin herself. The photo must have been collected with his other things. He doesn't realise he's snatched the photo from Kaname's pliant fingers until the object is being quickly creased in his own desperate grasp.

"This isn't yours to see," he snarls absentmindedly, willing his fingers to loosen up before he ruins the photo.

He expects Kaname to openly mock him, to latch onto this weakness he's exposed but, surprisingly, he doesn't. Instead, he's watching Zero with heavy eyes that convey to him that he understands. It's horrible. He'd prefer scathing remarks; he knows how to deal with them.

But sympathy—pity, empathy—whatever emotion that dwelled within those dark orbs were foreign to him.

"You know, Kiryu-kun, you and I aren't that much different."

"You said that before," Zero replies for lack of anything else to say.

"It seemed worth repeating."

"It wasn't."

Kaname makes a thoughtful hum, not sounding the least bit discouraged, and Zero feels more than sees him relax back into the seat.

Zero loses track of the time as each tree passes by in a swirl of green and brown, and eventually his breaths become heavier as drowsiness kicks in, causing the window to fog up slightly. It would snow soon.

He fights against the urge to yawn and fails. Hopefully his companion didn't notice—

"Get some sleep. I'll wake you when we arrive."

_Ugh._

"And let my guard down in front of you?" he snaps. "No thanks."

Kaname's eyes narrow dangerously while he warns ominously, "Sooner or later you'll have to."

_Don't remind me._ "Later, then."

He sighs, sounding more amused than annoyed. "While your unyielding nature is refreshing amongst the company I am usually forced to keep, it's unessersary and will no doubt grow tiring for the both of us, should you choose to keep the pretense up."

The Pureblood then rests the edge of his chin in his palm and faces away, visibly ending the discussion before he can retaliate, but Zero swears he can feel those two dark irises observing him via the window's reflection.

He knows, because he's also watching Kaname.

xxx

"Not exactly what I expected," he mutters once they reach their journey's end, his eyes scouring over every inch of the rich estate he can see.

A huge, abandoned mansion in the middle of a forest lay before them, kept in an almost immaculate condition apart from the few overgrown vines that crept up the sides. It was like he had stepped into some conventional fairytale and if he was anyone else, he might even be impressed.

"Then what did you have in mind?" Kaname inquires, looking genuinely curious as he keeps the car door open for Zero. He's pretty sure it comes down to Kaname wanting to be a _perfect gentleman_ rather than actual manners. It doesn't make it any less weirder though, so he slides out the other way. Kaname frowns, but makes no actual comment.

"Coffins." He shrugs when Kaname is blatantly amused at that. His knowledge that aids him to kill vampires didn't extend to where they spend their free time and, honestly, he really doesn't care. "Bats. Spiderwebs. That kind of thing."

"Maybe it's not too far from the truth." When Zero stares at Kaname incredulously and possibly with a pinch of terror, he elaborates with a bitter smirk: "I'm in ownership of a coffin."

"And is that where you'll be?" Zero asks, maybe a bit too quickly and brimmed full of hope.

Having full access to the mansion by himself, with a sleeping Pureblood tucked tightly away and out of sight and mind; it's as ideal as this situation could conceivably be (the _situation_ being him and Kaname, living together for the unknown future).

"Don't be ridiculous, Kiryu," Kaname says, effortlessly destroying his fantasy. He catches a flash of glinting eyes as Kaname walks up to the house, opening the door with a flourish. "After all I only have the one, so we'd have to share."

The hunter almost shudders at that. He's already been forced to share a car and a building with the vampire and he's going to keep it to _just _that.

"Unless, that's what you want?" Kaname further taunts, waiting as Zero moves closer to the door. "I suppose that can be arranged."

He aggressively brushes past the Pureblood and the threshold. "Now who's being ridiculous?" he snaps back, but his thoughts are too busy with what his eyes are now witness to for his comment to have any real bite.

The interior design is lavish, bordering on ostentatious. He knew that if Yuki or the Chairman could see this, they'd be in heaven; sparkles in their wide eyes and spouting nonsense. The ceiling just by itself looks like a grand painting, winding various patterns into the stone, which followed onto and down the pillars. Even though they're only in the room that serves as the entrance, there's still various extravagant furniture situated in every possible place it would fit: flower vases, dressers, even a damn fireplace.

"Beautiful, is it not?" Kaname says, and then gentler, so quiet it's a strain for even his ears, "I had hoped that by now, Yuki would have seen this."

Zero has no desire to hear about Kaname's grand plans of swooping Yuki away with promises of eternal life, fortune and fame. Based on Kaname's faraway look in his eyes, the statement wasn't meant to be heard by him anyway so he goes back to studying the rest of the entry hall. A hollow feeling begins to build within, and he tells himself it isn't envy.

"Concerning the matter of your room," Kaname breaks the silence as he slips his coat off, revealing an even darker shirt underneath. "There are more than enough rooms vacant and ready. You're free to pick wherever is suitable."

_How generous of you_, he almost sarcastically spits out, but a more productive thought enters his mind.

"That depends," Zero says.

Kaname momentarily pauses in his goal of taking his gloves off (vampires don't feel the cold, at least not like humans do, so the additional clothing must be a fashion statement more than an comfort, and it almost sends Zero's eyes rolling). "On?"

"Where's your room?"

Kaname raises an elegant eyebrow. "I take it you're not asking because you're planning on a future visit?" Zero offers no reaction, so he replies: "The furthest right."

"Then I'll be taking the furthest left," he announces and waits a beat to soak up his enjoyment at seeing Kaname's slight shock before heading up the stairs.

He expects Kaname to call after him or just leave completely, deeming him unworthy of that much effort. What he's not counting on is the vampire appearing before him, blocking the rest of the stairs from him, and he grips the hand rail to keep himself from stumbling into the taller figure or being pushed down the staircase if Kuran suddenly feels like being in a particular violent mood.

"I see your stubbornness has kicked in already. I suppose it's a miracle you made it as far as the front door," Kaname sharply quips. They exchange an icy glare before he carries on. "Use your brain, Kiryu. I know that you possess one, as hard as it is to imagine the longer I'm in your presence."

"Make your bloody point, if you even _have_ one, or get out of my way," Zero hisses, seconds from using force if necessary. Normally insults wouldn't get under his skin and stab at him, but it had been a strenuous day and he wanted nothing more than to sink into the nearest bed he could find and be comatose for at least the next ten hours.

It could be that Kaname senses this, because there's a shift in the air that breaks the confrontational mood and he's staring down at him in acceptance.

"Your very being here is to protect that precious blood of mine," he raises a slender finger to trail down the side of Zero's neck, stopping just before the end of his binding tattoo and tapping the digit against his skin once, "which is pumping through your veins from those who seek it. What kind of guard would I be if I let the target wilt away all alone in the left wing and be put at risk?"

Having tensed at the touch, Zero slaps the obtrusive hand away, giving an angry click of the tongue, and ignores the searing path Kaname's left behind on his skin. "So you're admitting that you, _the mighty Kaname-sama_, would allow an enemy as far as into his own home? _Heh_. I'm shocked."

A flitter of irritation lights up Kaname's features, only to be quickly smothered by a smug smirk, and Zero knows he's going to hate whatever Kaname says next, even before the infuriating words leave his lips.

"Your confidence in my abilities is touching, and correctly placed." Abruptly, Kaname starts up the rest of the stairs.

Zero stares at his retreating figure in befuddlement. So did that mean he'd won—?

"Take one of the rooms on the right, Kiryu-kun." Kaname grants him one last sinister glare before disappearing around the corner, his parting words lingering. "Do not make me come find you and drag you there myself. I imagine it would be unpleasant."

_Unpleasant for me, you mean, _Zero thinks with a scoff.

His sensei had told him to make the most of his predicament, and he had aimed for annoying the vampire to the point where he regretted his choice to bring Zero here, but it had backfired immensely and now _he_ was the one feeling annoyed.

Muttering grievances under his breath, he reaches the second floor and forces himself to walk down the right corridor and not the left. He's faced with at least five doors and he picks one at random, past the point of caring.

It's a mystery to even him if he slams the bedroom door or not.

xxx

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><p><strong>Note: <strong> I have no idea why I'm writing for a fandom which is most likely not active anymore. (?) To anyone who may still be here (yay, hi!); let me know how you feel about this fic & if you'd like to see more.


	2. Domesticity

** Note:** Thanks for the support. (:

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><p><strong><em>{ Chapter 2: <em>**_Domesticity** }**_

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><p>xxx<p>

Leaning back on the door, Zero examines the room he's aimlessly chosen.

It was pleasing to the eye; articulate detail weaved onto the curtains which matched the wallpaper, gold and red vibrant all throughout. The wardrobes, side dresser and bed frame made of dark mahogany, a matching armchair and large window stretched to fill the back wall.

And this was _just_ one of the guest rooms. _Sheesh, rich people._

There's a vampire aura hovering in the hallway, gradually heading in his direction, which makes him groan because _he'd only just got rid of Kaname_!

Praying that it's not said vampire, he opens the door before they can.

Instead of a tall, lean streak of cold, calculating Pureblood, its Kuran's forever faithful and loyal follower: Seiren.

"What do you want, vampire?" he asks, tone automatically accusing.

She doesn't speak, her only movement being to bring his luggage in front of her, obviously waiting for him to take it, which is...weird. The only contact Zero's ever shared with her was when he had drawn Bloody Rose on Kaname months ago and, like a viper poised to strike, she'd held her hand to his neck. Now, she was tasked with making sure he had his suitcase. _Definitely weird._

Enforced manners urge him to say thanks, but this vampire was practically an extension of Kaname, it'd be like saying thanks to _him_, so he accepts the case with a stiff nod.

Even if she's offended it would be impossible to tell, her expression an unchanging blank canvas, and she's gone as quick as she appeared.

Luggage in hand, he returns to the room and wastes no time spilling the contents over the bed in a mess. He'd never been one for hoarding a lot of belongings, so whichever of Kaname's brainless servants had been in charge of collecting his things had gotten lucky with the easy task.

As well as done a terrible job considering an important possession was missing.

The batch of blood tablets he always keeps a generous amount of lying around his dorm room are nowhere to be seen.

Officially, the blood tablets didn't work on ex-humans like him, but if he took one sparingly before the hunger panes began it could help keep the cravings at bay. His system could accept the pill in small quantities. Chugging them down in a crazed rush when the deprivation made him incoherent would just cause havoc to his insides. If he wanted to keep a wrap on this savage side of his nature, he needed to take one now.

In a panic, Zero reaches in his jackets front pocket, merciful that he always kept an emergency supply on him. The metal tin is there, and he gives it a shake to check how many tablets are stored.

It barely rattles.

_Whatever, it didn't matter,_ he reasons. This plan of Kuran's couldn't last more than a couple of weeks, and when his life got back on track he'd then find an alternative. He'd drink the disgusting blood from the vampires he'd hunt if it came down to it.

He had lasted years fighting against awakening as a vampire. He could handle a couple of weeks starved.

Regardless of it being one of the last things he wants to do, he pops a single pill in his mouth and chews. The taste was a dull, chalk substance that stuck to his throat in tasteless gulps. Compared to Kuran's delicious blood it was—

_Don't be stupid_, he berates himself, hunger increasing as his imagination works against him. _It doesn't matter what his blood tastes like because you're never allowing yourself to taste it again._

Outside, a crow lets out a shrill cry, and when he tells it to shut up he's only half sure he's addressing the bird.

xxx

There are locks on the door.

A fact that should be reassuring but does little to comfort him. His cohabitant could easily break down the whole damn door, or effortlessly get the metal to slide open with a simple flick of the wrist if he so chooses.

Bloody Rose is within reach, another small comfort, kept hidden under his pillow as his hand rests dangerously close to the handle.

He still struggles to sleep. His body was an endless list of contradictions: accustomed to resting at night, in spite of now being programmed to shut down when the sun flared brightest.

The clock taunts him with each piercing tick as the hand slides; each one more irritating than the last that he considers giving up trying to sleep and do something else that would actually be useful. Checking the house out is the first notion that pops up, but that also comes with the risk of coming across Kaname that he quickly banishes the idea.

There's also a rebellious part of him that wants to show Kaname that despite everything, he wasn't a vampire—a beast that was kept awake by hungering uncontrollably at night. Zero Kiryu was still one of the hunters, a being that prospered in the light.

He has no right to call himself one of the humans anymore.

xxx

Zero doesn't remember falling asleep.

He does remember waking up covered in sweat, heart thrashing terribly in his chest like a caged bird, hands crushing and pulling any material they can grasp in their blind panic.

Two blazing orbs, a visage of icy sapphire and garnet red, are burning his retinas behind closed lids.

Forcing himself to stay immobile, he reaches his senses out as far as possible whilst sneaking his hand to his weapon…but…no. That can't be right. There's no-one—or no_thing _else—in the room with him. He's alone.

As soon as his eyes snap open, he checks the alarm clock that got brought with the rest of his things. The number six is blaring at him in red mockery. Pulling the cover over his head, he rolls over with a curse and tries to get comfortable again.

_Good going, random anxiety_, he scornfully thinks. _After all that trouble it took to actually fall asleep, too…_

Tea. He needed a hot, sugary filled beverage to make life better.

Grabbing the nearest grey sweatpants and jumper he ventures out, navigating his way back to the entry hall where he remembered seeing the kitchen in one of the doorways.

He walks into the kitchen and freezes.

Kaname is sitting there despite the early hour; newspaper and tea spread out before him like a miniature feast. He's also wearing the most silkiest and expensive pyjamas Zero's ever seen in his life that he's not even sure they _are_ pyjamas. There's a dressing gown hanging on the back of his chair. If Zero spots any fluffy slippers peeking out from under the table he's going to drown himself in the nearby sink.

"Kiryu-kun," Kaname pleasantly greets when he spots him, "would you like to join me for some tea?"

He walks back out the kitchen.

Clearly, he couldn't rely solely on reasoning alone to avoid the Pureblood. He'd need to keep his wits sharp and alert at all times so he didn't have to endure witnessing bizarre things that would haunt his memories for years to come.

He gets as far as the entry hall before he realises tea was why he had entered the damn kitchen in the first place, and before logic can catch up, he's back in there.

"Tea?" Kaname repeats, like he didn't just witness Zero do several one-eighty's in the kitchen door.

He once again considers the option of flat out refusing and finding some other room to sulk in, but _tea_.

_Nothing to see here, _is the internal mantra that plays in his head as he boils the kettle, _just an ordinary morning. A morning that involves two pieces of toast, one cup of tea, and one murderous Pureblood._

Involuntary, he glances in Kaname's direction. _Crap._

Apart from the dramatic wardrobe difference, Kaname's appearance is still as regal as ever, those slightly curly strands still immaculately framing his face and it makes Zero slide a conscious hand through his own messy hair only to pause in the middle of the action. Why was he paying attention to hairstyles at six am?

Already vexed, he lowers his gaze to the item that has captured Kaname's attention.

Zero couldn't give a damn what the Pureblood reads in his past time, but strange, almost familiar letters stick out on the newspaper and taunt at his deficient understanding. Trying to remain inconspicuous, he attempts to get a closer look as he stirs the tea, putting an overly gracious amount of sugar in the mug.

"It's Latin," Kaname clarifies, having taken note of Zero's poorly concealed confusion. "Would you like me to read it to you?"

A shiver of dread glides up his backbone. Flashbacks of the Chairman chasing a younger him, a collection of child storybooks like _Red Riding Hood _gathered in his arms, yelling _'Don't run from story-time! Daddy just wants Zero-chan to have a flourishing childhood!'_ assault his tired brain.

"Spare me," he deadpans.

_Latin, huh?_ That's why he had felt some familiarity while attempting to read the cursives. Some binding spells that privileged hunters have received and passed down throughout the centuries are in Latin (the Kiryu's were part of that gain). Very few actually held the knowledge of the words they were speaking, however. There was no _need_ to—it was an ancient and now deceased language. They only needed the power those words held, not the meaning.

"You can read Latin," Zero prods flatly, silently curious.

"Keeping our lineage a secret from the human's ever prying ways takes many precautions," Kaname explains as he traces a particular line with his thumb. "Writing our news in a language undecipherable to humans is one of those precautions, should they unintentionally come across one of these."

The way Kaname keeps referring to them (_our _lineage, _our_ secret, _our_), as though Zero's a willing part of the vampire race, part of his Night Class bundle, annoys the hell out of him but there are more important things to discuss so he pushes it aside. For now.

"So every vampire learns Latin just to read some trivial news articles every now and then," Zero concludes, still sceptic, "That's—"

_Impressive? Stupid?_

Trailing off with a disbelieved shake of the head, he sits down at the table (as far away from Kaname as physically possible, but considering he's willing to share the same room with him, its progress.) Vampire matters didn't—shouldn't—concern him. So what if across the world these creatures were learning an ancient language that they could all share for their made-up culture? They were still just beasts in human flesh, no matter how much intellect they displayed.

A wave of nausea rolls through him as he takes his first sip of the scolding tea, the liquid doing little to sedate his thirst for blood.

The hunger pushes him to ask, "What made you tell the Association I _stole_ your blood? Don't tell me it was petty payback. I thought you'd consider yourself above such things."

Kaname is engrossed in the paper he holds between his fingers, but enough attention must be on him since he responds, "The most I told that hateful leader of yours was that you had partaken in my blood. Anything else is a conclusion they have painted themselves."

It made sense. Instead of an actual deliberate liar, Kaname was the mysterious, obscure kind of guy who would tell half-truths buried in cryptic sentences. The vampire's way might be more honourable, but it was still irritating, triggering the kind of impatience that made Zero grit his teeth to stop his tongue lashing out.

The row of Elite Hunters that had glared at him during the ruling flashes through his vision with a painful sting. All it had taken was that vague message from Kuran, and they had all leaped at the outcome that he was a bloodthirsty thief. Just what did the hunters truly think of him when they saw Zero walk unharmed through their halls crammed full of lethal traps for vampires? Could it be that all they saw was the monster his biology made him to be, and no longer the hunter he had strived hard to become?

A pessimistic smirk tugs at his lips. Kuran had been a blessing in disguise, then, giving them all the excuse to be free of him before he could commit any atrocities.

"Kiryu."

The serious tone Kaname harbours has his head snapping up free from he'd had it grasped tightly in his hands, and a shimmer of silver catches his eye. There are several strands of his hair caught in his nails, and he falls slightly back in confusion. He hadn't even felt the pain from where he must have ripped them harshly from his scalp.

There's several light taps, and Zero forces his eyes to focus to locate the source.

It's Kaname. He's put the newsprint down, and instead moving one finger up and down repetitively in an impatient gesture, a single nail hitting the table's surface. The Pureblood's staring at him like he's a bothersome student that doesn't learn no matter how hard he studies, and he's being gracious by continuing to teach him.

"_What_," Zero growls out, the continuous gawking beginning to agitate his nerves.

The rhythm stops as Kaname interlaces his hands, elbows resting on the table, and pins him with serious eyes. Bizarrely, Zero feels like he's about to receive a lecture, one that would rival even Yuki's when she'd caught him injuring himself as a child, desperate to rip off the phantom squeeze of that woman's canines on him.

"Do you truly believe that if I, or any other Pureblood," Kaname reproves, "didn't want our blood to be taken that we wouldn't have the power to stop somebody from stealing it?"

Zero frowns, unsure at what Kaname is getting at. "If you're looking for compliments about your prowess, you should go see one of your actual admirers. I recommend Aido-senpai."

The vampire ignores him. "The answer is no. We're the most appetising prey available, true, but we're also the most dangerous predator, aided with numerous influences to keep our enemies on their knees. These hunter associates of yours know this better than anyone else, having spent most their lives trying to find our weaknesses."

Blinking slowly, comprehension gradually building, he says, "Ah."

"Therefore," Kaname drawls, drawing his words out for emphasis, "no-one with functioning brain-cells would believe the accusation you were labelled with. It was nothing more than a farce."

Kaname retrieves his tabloid again; the occasional flap of a turned page the only sound as he leaves Zero to his thoughts.

In a roundabout way, Kaname is reassuring him. While he was consumed with his troubled beliefs about how the hunters judged him, Kaname had viewed those emotions he'd accidently put on display and correctly guessed the root of his distress.

The consolation must have worked because the tight ball of tension Zero had curled into was fading, his heartbeat now reduced to its usual lull. Grateful isn't the emotion he's feeling but…

He goes to stand up and exit the room before he can decipher any uninvited emotions further.

"Regarding that leader of yours," Kaname suddenly chimes in, halting his movements.

"What of him?"

He hopes that didn't come out too acidly, the Presidents sneer still easy to conjure up at a mention.

"It might be of some interest to know he's in cahoots with Rido," reveals Kaname in a bored tone, his gaze never straying away from the newspaper. "For quite some time now."

The revelation is hardly a shock. If Rido wanted him, then the President acting the way he had at court made sense; reluctant to hand over Zero but his fear of Kaname keeping him from fulfilling his goal. Maybe this Kuran ancestor doesn't have the patience for subjects who fail him and gets rid of the two-faced leader, doing them all a favour.

Knowing better, he doesn't ask how Kaname omnisciently knows of the Presidents betrayal, but he does wait for _something_—the whys, the whens, the what's—the shitty details that might actually come in handy!

"Yeah, Kuran," he says when nothing comes forth. "That might be a bit important to know. Just a little."

"Good then," Kaname responds like he can't detect the sarcasm Zero's words are dripping in.

_Irritating, infuriating Pureblood!_

Lifting a hand to massage his forehead, he persists, "_Why_ is the President working with Rido? What does he gain from it?"

Kaname is smiling at him. "Oh, Kiryu-kun, are you really that innocent?"

"Answer the question or shut up," Zero retorts.

Kaname pays him no heed. "Although in your circumstance it may be called naivety. It's rather sweet, considering how often you're in the company of vampires."

"I'm armed," he warns since words proved useless.

"You left Bloody Rose under your pillow," Kaname says.

How the hell did Kuran even know tha—no, that was knowledge best left unlearnt. He refuses to shame himself further by checking if Kaname's right.

"Shit," he mutters, and then more pathetically, "the tea's still at burning temperature."

_Hunter guideline no 14: Always observe your surroundings for a secondary weapon as anything can better your chances, even in the unlikeliest places. _Yeah, he'd followed a respectful decree, but really he feels like a massive idiot.

At least Kaname has the decency to act cautioned. "Is that so? I'll wisely mind my words from now on, then."

"You do that," Zero says and it's alarming to realise he's amused—nothing too outstanding, a slight curl in the corners of his mouth—and it's even more disturbing that Kaname's the reason it's developed there.

The ambience reminds him of home. The lazy weekend mornings the Chairman begs Zero to cook breakfast, Yuki at his side, every bit the energetic cheerleader at backing him up. It's not how he should feel here, in a remote location with a Pureblood vampire as his only company.

Exhaling a shaky breath, Zero crosses his arms. "The President," he reminds Kaname, pushing the conversation back to safer grounds.

Kaname must sense Zero's change of demeanour, because he mirrors it perfectly, the gentle brown that settled in his eyes now melted into a sharper and deeper black. The conduct was recognisable from the days when they exchanged glares during the change over at the Academy.

The familiar territory is not as reassuring as Zero thought it'd be.

"I expect the President holds the same reason that every human does for befriending or willing to coexist with a Pureblood," Kaname says, turning to the window. The first rays of sunlight are beginning to filter through the curtains as dawn breaks, but Kaname doesn't flinch, handling the radiant beams without averting his sensitive eyes. "The curse of immortality."

Sitting there, basked in an almost glow, Zero wonders why Kaname sounds so lonely.

The rest of the tea goes cold.

xxx

They don't come across each other for over three blissful, pain free, quiet days after their morning encounter.

A feat Zero is proud of, bearing in mind he's a large percentage of why that may be. Every time he heard the Pureblood's footsteps, he'd quietly slip into a different room, and every time Kaname used the same hallway as him he'd conveniently decide to go the other way. He'd almost been cornered at the top of the staircase at one point, but with the use of quick reflexes and thinking he'd vaulted over the banister and dashed to safety.

(If he heard a deep chuckle from behind him, well, no-one had to know.)

Years of using this technique had saved him from being pulled into a lot of awkward family events by a smothering adoptive father. He's glad to see that his evading skills are still in top condition and work even on a Pureblood vampire.

The accomplishment ends on the fourth day, when Kaname simply walks up to his bedroom and rasps his knuckles lightly on the door's frame to get his attention.

Zero's sitting on the bed, a book splayed out in front of him (which he got from the library—the mansion had a freaking library!), and he looks up in questioning at the intrusion.

"Hey," he says, and his voice actually cracks a little from disuse.

"The Council Elders are insistent to see me, therefore I'll be gone until tomorrow night," Kaname informs him.

"Sure," he noncommittally says, wondering why Kaname is even bothering to personally explain this to him when he could just leave the message to one of his minions.

"I leave the servants in your care," Kaname continues, and then adds with a wicked gleam in his eyes, "and you in theirs."

_Yeah, figures._ Plans of fleeing were hastily crushed. Seiren was somewhere prowling about, and Zero would bet his fangs that she wouldn't be an easy target to take down, let alone any others that were hanging around outside.

"Uh-huh," Zero mutters because Kaname is _still_ standing in his doorway.

"Is there anything you need to tell me before I leave, Kiryu-kun?" It's a question, but Kuran is acting like he already knows the answer, one expectant brow arched.

Hunger claws at his throat and multi-coloured eyes invade his thoughts but he pushes them both aside, his aloof countenance revealing nothing. "No," he lies.

Apparently Kaname disapproves of that reply, because his frown deepens.

"Come here, Kiryu," he orders, brandishing a slender hand that reaches towards him.

_The hell—?_

"Or I shall come to you," Kaname says when Zero doesn't move.

Something about having the Pureblood enter his bedroom has his nerves shaking, so he storms up to Kaname. There's no way he's taking the outstretched hand, though. "There a problem, your highness?"

Sarcasm was always a good trait to fall back on, and the longer he spent in Kaname's presence the more it was becoming a defensive outlet than a habit.

While Kaname doesn't appear angered by his aversion, he seems disappointed, indicated in narrowed features. His untaken hand goes to rests against the lower half of his face as he thoughtfully stares down at Zero, fingers splayed over his cheeks.

"You'll be glad to know that in one week a ball will be held, courtesy of Ichijo Asato." Kaname smiles complacently. "Naturally, I've been requested to attend."

Zero was no stranger to the gathering's the vampire nobles insisted on having way too much, decked out with elaborate costumes and theatrical gossip to cover up their greed for any humans or Purebloods attending. The events usually passed with no incident and remained entirely of Zero shooting the guests frequent glowers as he watched over the dull procedure.

"I don't care," Zero tells him.

"A shame, since I've been informed those who conspire with my uncle will be present. I had thought to finish their scheme, nevertheless if Kiryu-kun wishes to stay." Kaname shurgs, feigning regret. "It would be regrettable to miss this chance, but alas…"

"I suddenly care," Zero decides and overrides Kaname's exhale of amusement by saying, "This is ou—my chance to get rid of that maniac. These followers of his will know where his body is hidden, and I can take him out easily."

The _our_ almost slipped out, Kaname's damned way of speaking already rubbing off on him. Though it wouldn't have matter if it had, since Kaname isn't paying his words any consideration, instead preoccupied with scrutinising the hunter with calculating eyes that rake his entire form.

He then sighs heavily as if he's come to a decision.

Too quick for his eyes to catch, Kaname's arms shoot forward, sneaking around his back and caging Zero to his chest. He's quick to struggle but it's futile—without his hunter weapon he's just the same as every other Level D, and with his arms pinned to the sides he can't reach the gun in its holster.

A hand waves away his errant bangs that lay on his forehead, and cold, soft lips hover over the uncovered skin there, not quite touching.

Goosebumps are quick to flare to life on his skin and he moves to roughly push Kaname away, but he's already stepped back out of arms reach, studying Zero's form alike to an artist admiring their handiwork, and he nods, seemingly pleased.

"Watch the house for me while I'm gone, Kiryu-kun," is Kaname's cheerful farewell as he cowardly escapes before Zero even has a chance to think _what the fuck just happened_.

Zero is going to burn the house down.

xxx

Taking the opportunity of Kaname being absent from the house, Zero searches the kitchen for the newspaper.

Because he's bored and _nothing else_. He's certainly not curious about what had held Kaname's attention before. _This is just plain boredom_, he thinks, even though the eager way he opens the newspaper when he finds it in a rush betrays that very statement.

Naturally, he can't understand any of it, and scours through the pages in the hopes of finding something noteworthy. There are various pictures, popular landmarks from across the world with vampires he doesn't recognise smiling into the lens, make-up used to the maximum, clear to see even in the black and white shades.

No, this couldn't be what Kaname had been interested in. Not unless he was more susceptible to gossip than Zero gave him credit for.

With a disappointed puff, he flops the newspaper on the table, and that's when he spots it.

In his search he'd completely missed to check the front page.

The front page, which for some reason has him inked onto it. More importantly, it's him _and_ Kaname, from very recently too; it's outside the headquarters, when Kaname had ushered him into the limo. They're close, Kaname's hand raised on his back but not quite making contact.

He'd never seen a flash or heard a click, so their photographer had at least had the brains to keep the flash and shutter's noise off.

Except, nothing got past the Pureblood, especially not in the form of paparazzi and even if they had Kaname possessed the authority to demand any unwanted photographs of him to be deleted if he so wished. Still, that wasn't the most puzzling part; why hadn't Kaname teased him about it earlier? It was the perfect chance (considering it was public knowledge how much Zero despised attention) yet Kaname hadn't taken it.

It didn't make any sense.

There are several crinkles, like someone's frequented the page a lot, so there's no question that Kaname hasn't seen it. Zero moves on to beneath the picture, where there's at least half a page of words. Apart from their names the rest is gibberish to him.

Excluding one word: **_adstringo._** It's a frequent term that appears in some of the hunter's incantations, ones that can bind a vampire to oblige their will for a few scant moments if a hunter is willing to use their blood as the conductor. It's taxing on the body, emotionally and physically, so it's rarely put into practice.

None of that explained why it was in an article about him, though. Until Zero remembers the other meaning the word owns: _to_ _commit oneself to._

He rips the paper in half before he has a chance to think too deeply and wind up drawing to a disturbing outcome.

xxx

In the lethargic air of the afternoon, Zero lays awake on his bed. He's written a letter to Yagari, one of the few people he actually trusts, just in case things don't go as planned at the ball and the hunters society end up having to deal with a reawakened crazed Pureblood, unknowing of the Presidents role in the catastrophe.

The message is short and straight to the point: _The snake sheds his skin for another_. It a cipher for betrayal and it's all Yagari will need to understand. Chances are, Zero will actually see his sensei at the gathering, considering how many high-ranked officials will be present, but it was always good to have a backup.

Now, he just needed to convince (frighten, possibly threaten with the use of chainsaws and dark interrogation rooms, everyday skills all taught to him by Yagari) one of the servants to get this message delivered.

Having a goal was a necessity given how peaceful the days had so far passed, and with his cravings growing stronger he needed any distraction that presented itself.

_Riiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnggg._

The quiet is ruined by the shrill of a doorbell and Zero blinks, frowning at the ceiling. Well, that was definitely a distraction but…had Kaname been expecting guests? Did he receive any guests in the middle of nowhere? Even with his Pureblood status, it seemed odd.

_Oh well_. Not his problem. If it was important, someone else would get it.

_Riiing. Riiinnng. _

_Riiiiiiiiinnnnggg._

Throwing the pillow at the wall in anger, he stumbles off the bed and down the stairs, a prominent vein twitching above his brow.

"Zero-sama," Aido greets on the other side of the threshold, determination virtually sparkling in his eyes and blinding the hunter in their twinkling glory.

Zero slams the door shut.

He stares at the door. He frowns when the door receives several thuds that shake the structure. Screeches of _Zero-sama_ reverberate and attack his ear buds. The conclusion he arrives at is that he must have fallen asleep earlier, is currently trapped in a nightmare, and the smart thing to do is go back to bed.

Moving to do just that, his legs carry him up a total of four steps before he hears the door open with a terrifying click.

Turning around slowly (resembling the main characters he's watched in horror films do before being brutally murdered), he spots Seiren next to the door handle, completely unapologetic despite the terror she's just let in.

Heavily panting, Aido rests his hands on his knees, grumbling incoherent colourful insults under his breath, and the two impassive vampires stare at him as they wait.

The noise must have attracted Seiren, Zero figures, and while there's no telling expression present, he thinks he can see a minuscule grimace each time Aido opens his mouth. He can relate.

"Thank you," Aido wheezes to her, finally composing himself, before twirling on Zero and stabbing an accusing finger in his direction. "You cretin! To shove the door in a nobles face! Any not just any noble, but the pride and joy of Kaname-sama's prized Moon Dorm!"

In Aido's flailing tantrum, Seiren had nodded to him and taken her leave. Strangely, Zero had felt like begging her to stay so he'd not be left alone with the animated blond haired vampire.

Wiping sleep from his eyes, he says, "I'm a cretin, huh. Weren't you calling me _Zero-sama_ before?"

"Guh!" Aido actually backpedals, an inch away from falling back out the front door before shaking his upraised fist in a steadfast resolve. "Your attitude may be terrible but you are Kaname-sama's guest, so I must treat you with the same respect I would for him."

That sounded extremely unpleasant in every way possible.

"Just…address me like you did before," Zero insists and when Aido looks unconvinced he adds, "For both of our sanity's." Stretching out his stiff bones with a pop, his blue-eyed spectator blinking owlishly at him, he blurts, "Wait, why you are even here?"

Aido almost jumps to attention, hand twitching as if to salute. "I have been instructed to make sure that the council's ball is able to pass by without incident." He puts a hand to the side of his face as if to share a secret and whispers sourly, "By_ incident_, I mean stopping a certain bad-tempered prefect from murdering any high ranked vampires that are innocent and bringing shame to Kaname-sama's name."

"There's no such thing as an innocent vampire," Zero rejects on instinct. "Instructed by who?"

"Kaname-sama, of course," Aido replies, then proceeds to daydream about his hero.

_I recommend Aido-senpai_, Zero had provoked Kaname before. Now he was paying the price. Apparently the Pureblood had a childish response when it came to harbouring grudges.

"Of course," he cynically duplicates, marvelling why he even bothered to ask. "Ignore that order. Go pester someone else."

"No, no, no," Aido prattles and jumps in his way, "there's the party that requires—"

The noble drifts off, a curious expression lighting up his features, quickly morphing into one of severe depression as he finishes sniffing the air.

Zero ignores the weird behaviour. "I know about your stupid soirée's."

"Sure," Aido bounces back, quick to agree, "but as a hunter's watchdog, not as an attendant. Plus, you have the honour of going as Kaname-sama's partner, so—w-_woah_!"

Hearing the word partner, Zero had lunged toward the unsuspecting noble, grabbed his forearms and pinned him to the wall, menacingly looming down on him.

"You really are mean, Kiryu! And hands off the merchandise! I only just brought this sweater!" Aido wails, causing Zero to shake him like a ragdoll until his teeth chatter.

Zero wore his best intimidating look. "Explain what you mean by _partner_."

It must have worked, because Aido practically wilted. "Alright! Alright! The thing is, you can't lie to a vampire noble," he brags, tapping his nose proudly. "There's really no need to be embarrassed, Kiryu. Anyone else in your position would be grateful!" When Zero's grip goes bone-crushingly painful, he speedily adds, "Kaname-sama's scent is all over you!"

His grip goes slack, shock taking the place of annoyance, and Aido zealously skips to the side, patting himself down with a petulant scowl but Zero's too caught up in his sudden bombard of thoughts to notice.

A brush of lips on his forehead. Hands mapping his skin. Earlier, when Kaname had basically been petting him for no good reason.

No, he'd had a reason.

"I'm going to kill him," Zero declares, more to himself than a thundering battle cry, but Aido looks aghast anyway.

xxx

Somehow, Aido persuades him to sit in the study with him, so they can discuss 'procedures' and important 'measures' that need to be taken at the ball. Papers and pencils are scattered around, names of suspect nobles and Aido's own notes blurring across his vision as he tries to focus.

Maybe years of giving into Yuki's persistence and wayward concepts of fun had worn him down, easy prey for enthusiastic aristocrats whose goal was to bore him to death.

Aido is chattering away about how 'he absolutely can't go to shake another's hand until Kaname-sama has first done so, because that would be oh so improper and if a vampire of lower status inquires of a personal matter he has the right to'—

Zero stops listening.

The party was a ploy anyway; it's only purpose to lure Rido's followers into exposing themselves, so who cared if he got a few mannerisms wrong?

Apparently Aido does, because _he's still talking._

A sting pricks at his irises, and it's the only warning he gets before lilac dissolves into a heavy red. He hurriedly drops his head, letting his silver bangs cover his eyes, but it's too late.

"Oi, Kiryu," Aido gasps, "Your eyes—"

"Leave it," he cuts in before the aristocrat could start a tedious rant.

"You can't just 'leave it', imbecile!"

The insult would usually have Zero retaliating, but Aido's gaze is flickering around worriedly, as though looking for a solution for the stoic hunter.

"It'll pass," he assures, to himself and the noble.

It's said with a confidence he doesn't feel—false bravado a technique he's relied on since the day he first learned to talk—and unfortunately Aido sees right through it.

"This is the exact equivalent of a human depriving themselves of water. We need blood to survive, just the same as they need water. It's our _life force_, so it most definitely won't pass!" Aido scoffs, twirling in his chair as he looks away with a final huff. "The damage you're causing to yourself could be fatal!"

Words fly out of his mouth before his conscience can filter them. "Give me your blood then."

The cravings may be agonising at this point, but Zero would never actually succumb to drinking from _Idol-senpai. _However, now the proposal's out there, so he's curious about how Aido will react. Tormenting the blond always resulted in something entertaining.

Similar to an actor warming up before a play, Aido's expression goes through several emotions in quick succession—initial shock, indigent anger, blush-worthy embarrassment—before finally landing on enlightenment, which is the scariest one of them all.

"You haven't been—from Kaname-sama—but," Aido breaks off, multiple confusions pouring out in a bubbling mess. "And you think—and that he'd even _allow _me—"

"What's the big deal?" Zero cuts in, the aristocrat's haphazard and broken sentences making little sense to him. He smirks bitterly, self-loathing making his fingers clench. "This is what you vampires do all the time, right?"

Aido doesn't appear insulted like Zero was aiming for, but perplexed. "Kiryu, you really don't know about vampire matters at all, do you?"

Zero snarls. Any patience had scattered away a while ago.

The noble waves his hands frantically. "A-at least not of the traditional sort! But when it comes to hunting them you're amazing!" Zero's glare doesn't lessen, so he compliments sheepishly, "Did I mention how talented you are?"

Rubbing his eyelids in the hope it coaxes them back to their usual colour, Zero says, "So that's a no."

It's like he's asked a girl to go to the prom with him and got rejected. Not that he would know what that felt like, but the comparison seemed to fit.

"Sharing blood between two vampires is a lot different than what you seem to think," Aido lectures, arms poised in a 'what-can-you-do' gesture. "It's not a midnight _snack_," he glares pointedly at Zero (who sends back an intensified version), "but a connection that goes deeper than any relationships mere humans could ever experience. An irrevocable sign of trust, companionship, and sometimes even…."

The blush that erupts on Aido's face extends to even his ears, easily filling in the gap, and Zero decides to put him out of his misery before he faints.

"Yeah, I get it." _Although he really wished he didn't._

"Great!" Aido nods, delighted. "So you should go see Kaname-sama right away when he gets back!"

The pencil Zero holds snaps in half.

xxx

Confronting the Pureblood about his peculiar behaviour seems effortless in theory, but it's been over a month since Zero last fed and the thirst he usually keeps sheltered by firm layers of pride is exposed, laid bare for all to see; eyes glowing, canines tingling and sanity beginning to feel like a past memory.

The thirst shouldn't be affecting him this much, he's handled the pangs for longer intervals, sometimes while even injured, but that had all seemed to change since…

_…since he'd drank Kaname's blood_, he becomes aware of. What was the pure blood doing to his system that meant it was breaking him down this quickly?

Thinking of the always sovereign Kaname seeing him in this state, a judgemental scowl and eyebrows furrowed in disgust presented on his customary impassive façade fills him with dread, but it's knowing he was more likely to attack Kaname in a chaotic rage that would only be sedated by one thing that keeps him locked in his room, trembling in the corner like a feral cat.

The time he spends there, clutching at his arms while trapped in the confines of his mind, nails digging in flesh in the hope of finding a buried calm, is unknowable. It must be over a day, because the aura that could only belong to a Pureblood is back and moonlight streams past closed curtains, the vampire part of him strengthening as the night begins, drawing a pitiful moan out of him.

Maybe that's what lures Kaname to his room.

"I had thought by now you'd have grown out of your rebellious phase," Kaname's frustrated voice still reaches him through the hazy fog.

"Go away, Kuran," Zero snarls, his speech leaving in an animalistic growl and any hope of hiding his condition is ruined.

"Evidently not," is Kaname's witty reply, spoken in a faint exhale.

Kaname doesn't abide his request, which isn't surprising, and he barely hears the click of the lock sliding open by the Pureblood's powers, his ears too filled with the pounding roars of inner turmoil. The light from the hallway spills in the room, past the form standing in the entrance, and Zero scutters away from it, burying his head in the interlocked arms around his legs.

He doesn't want anyone to see him like this—not even a friend, a sensei, one he called family—especially not a high and mighty Pureblood who would laugh at his pain.

"Must we go through this ordeal every time?" Kaname wonders aloud.

"It's nothing," Zero chokes out, though the hand that clutches at his throat betrays him. "Leave me alone."

Hearing the brush of fabric, Zero jolts his head up to see Kaname's moved next to the dresser, his long coat still on; he must have only just got back, to still be wearing his outdoor gear. Raising his eyes higher, Zero braves meeting the Pureblood's gaze.

The disgust Zero had expected isn't present on Kaname's face, but there's something he's not used to seeing conveyed there. He suspects it might be barely masked anger; it's an emotion he's seen enough times in the mirror imitated back at him.

Whatever Kaname sees reflected in his own gaze causes him to not move any closer, instead choosing to sit in the armchair that Zero's so far neglected, one leg crossed to support his elbow as he stares down at him, like a King would to a disobedient subject.

Zero doesn't care what the Pureblood does, as long as he continues to keep his distance.

"Please do share your grand plan with me, Kiryu," Kaname says, tone lightly mocking, but his eyes are sombre. "If you turn me away, what will you do?"

"I don't want your blood," Zero is quick to say but it's a _lie, lie, lie_.

"Perhaps not," Kaname allows. "But you need it."

He looks away with a snarl. He could hardly say he didn't, given the condition he's in.

Kaname idly waves a hand, curling in a finger with each cutting truth. "You have no Yuki, no blood tablets, no-one else to keep that beast inside of you tamed here. I believe this is what humans refer to as a dead-end."

"I'll figure something out," Zero snaps, before his mind fully registers what Kaname said. _No tablets. _"How did you know about…you didn't give me the tablets on purpose," he realises.

"I wasn't aware you desired something that would cause you illness," Kaname says, a diversion more than an answer and that's all the proof Zero needs.

The parts of the puzzle slide into place; the missing tablets, Kaname's question before he left, the close proximity—each attack tearing a piece of his armour off, leaving him unguarded. He manages to slide his back up the wall, standing on shaky legs that barely support him, but staying sitting isn't an option with the anger that's overtaken him.

"Let me guess, you're also responsible for disturbing my sleep the first night I came here." Zero laughs bitterly. "The sleep deprivation just makes it harder to control the urges, right?"

Kaname goes to protest at that accusation, but Zero's on a roll now, confined stress and anger now spilling past steel bars, relishing in the freedom.

"Smart, Kuran—really, you have my compliments. You're every bit the sadistic Pureblood I thought you to be."

"Calm down, Zero," Kaname cautions with a dangerous glare, but not even the use of his first name deters him.

"Was Aido part of your tactic too? Get him here to, what, tempt me after making sure he wouldn't let me touch him? I knew you were a scheming asshole but to use your own—"

A splintering crack shuts him up and he looks to the window—which was _trembling_. A quick glance at Kaname confirms why. There's a hand buried in Kaname's hair, gripping the tangled locks tightly, wild eyes peering through spread fingers as he clearly tries to reign in his control.

Tense seconds pass, filled with Zero's harsh breathing and rattling of the glass. The quavering slowly dies down, leaving a lengthy incision that runs up the whole of the glass, a tap away from breaking into jagged pieces. It's an palpable indication that Kaname's powers came undone for a split second, his patience wavering as anger rises.

"Now that I have your attention," Kaname sharply says, standing in one smooth motion, "you'll allow me to speak."

The tight clasp Kaname usually exhibits on brash reactions has vanished, the pretence of perfection crackling like the window and that's the moment Zero realises that, this time, his adversary isn't an inferior Level E who relied on erratic strength drove by hunger, but a Pureblood with all senses intact, cunning and power present beneath an icy exterior, creating a deadly combination.

Kaname's lips are drawn back enough for his fangs to be visible. "My reasons for prohibiting other vampires from touching you are my own selfish whims, not to cause you to suffer; you do that well enough on your own."

Zero gulps. For once his silence is caused by not knowing what to say, rather than his temperament.

"I had the tablets confiscated in the hopes it would keep you from reducing yourself to this state," Kaname admits. "Regrettably, I should have known that would do little to stop you."

"Don't talk like you know me!" he shouts, sick of being manipulated, sick of his traitorous DNA, and countering to Kaname stepping nearer he draws Bloody Rose, pointing the barrel at him in a blurred rush.

Kaname doesn't even blink.

"You stubborn, obstinate, prideful boy," Kaname snarls, drawing closer, and Zero's transfixed, the spring of his parched desires just a breath away. "I was waiting for you to come to me, but I refuse to watch you wither away after all I've invested because of your needless principles."

Bringing his arm to his mouth, intentionally at an agonisingly slow pace, Kaname's fangs imbed deeply in the sensitive inside of his wrist, and when they extract they're coated in tantalizing blood that run smoothly down his jawbone. Mouth painted in a rosy red, Kaname watches him with hooded eyes, waiting for him to make the next move. The sight causes Zero's whole frame to shiver, eyes filling with a uncontrollable desire as the copper scent consumes all over rationale, leaving behind only the ferocious crave.

It was almost like a burden had been lifted of his shoulders, all worries being replaced by the overwhelming want, the repercussions all belonging to another life and he leans forward, as if in a daze, his arm lunging forward to _grab, hold, feel_, wanting only to get closer and _closer_...

The flash of victory that Zero glimpses in Kaname's eyes is what yanks him back from the dark abyss he was willingly falling into.

It was like a mental shock, an icy ravine dousing the fire that had begun to devour his being, and using the confusion before his body could make him a slave to it's desires again, he pulls the trigger.

Maybe he's too far gone, eyes glassy; seeing but unfocused, with tremors messing up his otherwise accurate aim, or Kaname was always on guard despite his relaxed demeanour as the bullet doesn't even graze him, harmlessly embedding in the wall behind them. He goes to shoot again, but another hand encloses around Bloody Rose and yanks up, forcing him on his toes, his finger slipping inches from the trigger.

Kaname doesn't so much as hiss as the enchanted silver burns into his flesh, reacting harshly to the revered blood that flows within him, and keeps his eyes locked onto Zero's, even as Zero brings his free arm to push the Pureblood off balance. Kaname counters by simply grasping his wrist.

"If you're going to kill me, why don't you hurry up and finish it!" he shouts, a desperate yell entwined with venom when it becomes clear he's expertly trapped.

"I was trying to help you," Kaname calmly replies, his voice a whisper compared to Zero's. He traces one of the scars Zero's made on his forearm with a spare digit. "This resilience of yours is admirable but reckless."

"Why.." Speaking was a tedious task with his throat feeling like a lion had raked their claws down it's insides. "Don't lie. You don't _help_. Not.."

_Not me_, he almost says. But he's shown enough weaknesses in-front of the Pureblood, vulnerabilities that would never be forgotten and eventually be used against him.

"Why, you ask?" Kaname chuckles softly. "A question I've asked myself. Perhaps it's curiosity...no-one treats me like you do, the brave hunter who dares to regard me with such burning hatred in his eyes and the resistant vampire," he licks a strip of blood that had been sliding down his arm, causing Zero's eyes to light up ferociously, "who needs my blood more than anyone else, but continues to deny himself."

Zero doesn't notice the gun's been discarded of until he hears the thud it makes dropping on the carpet, but he can't tear his eyes away from where he can hear the Pureblood's pulse, a harmonic chime cradling his ears.

"Does it really matter why?" Kaname questions, bringing a bloodstained finger to his lips. "Zero...drink my blood." He smirks wickedly. "Besides, will you really give up the chance to injure your most hated vampire?"

Even in his dazed state, Zero could detect the manipulation; a rouse to lure him in. It's difficult to remember why he should be angered by such a ploy, when the source of his yearning is standing so close, neck bared in offering.

Closing the small gap between them, Zero catches a glimpse of Kaname's alluring features up close before his tongue is feeling for the prized vein in a single stroke up Kaname's neck, and everything fades to a welcoming obscurity as Zero's fangs finally delight in the art of piercing skin and drawing blood.

xxx

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> Ughh..I forced myself to publish this because I despise it and I've given up trying to make it better. Sorry. I'm going to go bash my head against a wall now.

[VK is set in our future, so Latin dying out even more than it has seems believable. Maybe. Just don't question it. Shh.]


End file.
